The Napa Fire of 2017

​My hands on the keys of my computer I notice the layer of what seems like dust. It covers everything and everyone living in the Napa/Sonoma Valley and beyond. 

​It began with a call from my sweet husband who was at a the Half Moon Bay Weigh-Off (Gary grows giant pumpkins and he is one of the most well-known growers in the country)

He alerted me that there was a fire on the hills beyond the gallery. Friends arrived moments later to see if I was okay and we looked out on the hills and saw the fire off in the distance. I had seen small fires before and heard the engines roar by the gallery so I thought it was a tiny hillside fire and even though there was a lot of smoke I went to bed. 

​My friend Marsha, who lives a block away, called at 3am and said "You need to get out now". The police had come to her door and told her to evacuate. I was staying above the gallery and no one knows I am there so if she had not called it could have been much worse for me. ​I don't even like to think about what could have happened. 

I quickly took the only possessions that I felt were important...my 2 cats, my purse and flash light (there was no electricity. I ran out of the gallery thinking it was not that bad and I would be back the next day. One lesson I will pass on to all of you is have a suitcase with anything that is important ready at all times. I roamed the streets and went to where Marsha had landed (at her friend's home) and then at 5am I woke Joy West and she took me in.

​From early Monday morning until Friday I sat (very comfortably I must say) with Joy as we watched the sad and devastating scenes of countless homes burned throughout the Napa, Sonoma, Fairfield, Santa Rosa area. I have never been evacuated from anywhere in my life and now understand the plight of all those in recent history including the hurricane victims, and the earthquake victims. HELPLESSNESS overcomes you (and I was one of the lucky ones who had a friend/ friends who welcomed me into safety).

My brave husband returned to the farm and all our neighbors stood together and were prepared to defend the farms on our street.  

This is a view of the flames just over the hill looking up our lane.

If there can be good news from this event it is the outpouring of love the Jessel Gallery and I have received from all of you around the world who called and wrote out of concern. I have had this gallery for 34 years and one never knows whose heart is touched by the experience of crossing my path. BLESS ALL OF YOU FOR CARING ENOUGH TO LET ME KNOW WE ARE IN YOUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS.
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MY HEART weeps for everyone around me who lost everything. I look up at the hills and cry for the homes burned but mostly I sob for the loss of life to animals and humans.
THIS IS A STRONG COMMUNITY and we will come out of this yet we will need your help and support. 

​I have to thank JOY WEST who has come to my rescue many times in the few years we have known each other. She took care of me for 3 weeks during my recovery from a hip replacement in May 2017 and now we have one more hole punched in our history card of loving friendship. The light shines through when the holes match up and this was a really BRIGHT LIGHT.     
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I end with 2 photos of my sweet cats who got pretty comfortable at Joy's House.
Buddy found a box in Joy's closet and Betty took over the big chair in the living room! 

​THEY HAD NO IDEA flames were roaring all around the valley. Last night as I lay back in my own bed they flanked me on either side and with hands on each one I finally had a peaceful sleep for the first time in a week.
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I LOVE YOU ALL.    Jessel